Kanaval

This is the Haitian version of Mardi Gras. On the last day of school before Ash Wednesday all the school children celebrate kanaval. It's a great, fun-filled and very noisy day which the children thoroughly enjoy. The following photos will attest to this. As we get closer to Ash Wednesday we see and hear spontaneous parades of folks marching and dancing in the streets to the beat of drums and home-made horns. This is a good time to be here!

A few of the boys getting into the groove. 

Under all that straw is Mickenson. 

Masks and face paint, music and good food make for a memorable Mardi Gras celebration at our school. 

One of the kids trying to have a good time. 

Dr.Cynthia with a few of her charges. Thank you, Cynthia, for coming to visit, for bringing all those needed meds, for being such a caring person. On behalf of all the kids here, MESI, MIL MESI !!! 

Important and helpful news

One of my good friends sent this email address on to me: www.iGive.com Over 650 stores are connected to this shopping network and a small percentage of each sale goes to the charity of your choice. Many of you purchase things regularly from the web; imagine helping the children here at the same time. Every purchase you make via iGive.com can be a donation to Theo's Work, Inc. What a great idea!! Please consider signing up and telling all your friends and family members about it. Thank you very much and God bless you.

Dee shares this photo with us. It was taken when she was with us for a couple of weeks to express the gratitude we all feel for the generosity of the children at Serra Catholic Elementary in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA.  

Tailens, Tanis Jolicoeur's little boy, being held by our own Dokte Cynthia who is here for a week.

This is a partial group shot of the children at Castel-Pere. The children are listening to Jack Reynolds, the President of Theo's Work, during his visit with us last week.

It was announced this morning that Mr Rene Preval, a former president, has won the election to the country's highest office. The people were out in the streets chanting and parading for their new leader. Let's pray that Mr. Preval can bring about reconciliation and cooperation. 

Agro. Brice, right, showing the kids how to make a mean salad with our own fresh lettuce. 

Nancy with Father Charlie making it all legal. 

Jude and Nancy exchanging rings before Father Charlie and myself. That's little Jean-Marc in front. He was the ring bearer. 

Tanis, his wife and two sisters at the reception after Nancy and Jude's wedding. 

Here the boys are preparing for the posts to be poured over the rebar. They are working on the new carpenters' workshop. 

This is Widmy cracking us up as he models the latest fashion eyewear. 

One kid's trash is another kid's treasure. Here's Cassimy with a toy truck made from an old plastic bottle and extra covers.

You'd never guess that this little girl lives in a crowded one room house with no electricity and running water. Impeccable in her crisp uniform and matching ribbons, she heads to school in Camp-Perrin.

Once you've voted, they make you stick your thumb on an ink pad so there will be no double dipping! One person, one vote and only one vote. This thumb belongs to Gardy Cherie, our first to vote this morning.

Here's Maxime pointing out his name on the list at the voting place. All registered voters have to find their names and photos on the list and then get a chance to vote.  

As you know today is Election Day here in Haiti. The lines are long and slow-going. The mood is pretty calm as most folks quietly wait their turn drenched from sweat in the tropical sun. Many are hopeful that this election will bear fruit. Let's pray that things start working here, especially for the poor.

It's almost mango time. Soon the mangoes will be ripe and delicious treats for the kids at Castel-Pere. A few are being pro-active and writing their names on especially juicy looking fruit like this one. Somehow I don't think this will prevent another boy from eating this mango but it's a good try.

This is Matante's home. Those of you who read this blog regularly know her. She's our stern and loving mother-figure and has been for the last seven and a half years. She's now living with us at Castel-Pere but her home is in shambles. We would like to build her a nice, safe and comfortable home as she will soon be retiring. For all the work she has done and continues to do for us and the children she deserves that. 

This is the new home of the Felix family. The doors still need to be finished but the family has happily moved in and are very pleased to have their own home for the first time. The Felix family and the DesRoches family (next photo) are the latest to move into new, safe, weather-proof homes thanks to generous donations from our friends.  

This is Guislaine DesRoches and her family. The below picture is of the old home and the above photo is the new home we just finished building for them. Needless to say, they are extremely grateful and ask God to bless the benefactors who made this possible.

Seven years in Camp-Perrin

Last Thursday we celebrated the 7th anniversary of our school in Camp-Perrin. Here we see Berthony speaking to the children. The school is a former warehouse. It isn't pretty but the kids don't mind.